The Global Engagement Center (GEC), a division of the State Department, is set to conclude its operations at midnight on Monday, marking the end of an eight-year run.
The GEC, established through Executive Order 13584 in 2011 under the Obama administration, was initially conceived as a tool to "recognize, understand, expose, and counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining or influencing the policies, security, or stability of the United States, its allies, and partner nations." This mission seemed reasonable, given the aggressive propaganda campaigns launched by nations such as Russia, China, and Iran against the US and its allies.
However, as reported by RedState, the GEC's evolution was far from its original intent. Instead of safeguarding public discourse, the GEC became a symbol of federal overreach and Silicon Valley's authoritarian tendencies. The agency's inclination towards censorship, exacerbated by the polarizing Trump administration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the contentious 2020 presidential election, led to the GEC actively suggesting topics for social media platforms to moderate.
The GEC's overreach extended to flagging accounts as Russian personas and proxies based on criteria such as Describing the Coronavirus as an engineered bioweapon, blaming research conducted at the Wuhan institute, and attributing the appearance of the virus to the CIA.
The GEC's misuse of power didn't stop there. It began using its authority to fund leftist initiatives such as the Global Disinformation Index, which collaborated with Big Tech to restrict advertising on disapproved outlets.
Despite its controversial existence, the GEC was nearly revived last week through a continuing resolution that was fiercely contested by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. However, the GEC's authorization under the National Defense Authorization Act for 2017 will officially expire at midnight on December 23, 2024.
While the GEC's closure may seem like a victory for free speech, it's important to remember that the individuals who managed the agency are still employed by the federal government. The networks that identified people and ideas to be silenced are still in place. The belief that ordinary citizens should remain silent and comply with what they are told remains as potent as ever.
The GEC's closure is a reminder of the dangers of unchecked government power and the need for vigilance in preserving individual freedoms. It also underscores the importance of maintaining a healthy skepticism towards government agencies that claim to protect us while potentially infringing on our rights. The GEC's story is a cautionary tale of good intentions gone awry, and a reminder of the need for constant vigilance in the face of potential government overreach.
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